Helping women over 50 face their financial fears

“Women should insist on knowing what assets and liabilities they have,” said Ms. Steiner, who declined to give her age. “Probably half of the women I see say, ‘I was such a fool.’ You have to have money in your own name, as well as joint bank accounts. You have to have retirement assets. You have to pay attention to the financial statements that come into the house. Make copies of statements that look important. Never sign a tax return unless you understand it. Ask questions. Take it to a lawyer.”

Ms. Terman Felenstein and Gloria Gottlieb, the president of Worldwide Insurance, started “Women and Wills,” a free lecture series dedicated to educating women over 50 — though women of any age are welcome — on issues such as estate planning, succession planning, insurance, long-term health care, charitable giving and of course, wills.